Tooth-brush.



J. J. SMIDDY.

TOOTH BRUSH. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 13, 1910.

Patented July 23, 1912.

Q Swuewtov 175757776 Jamm WWI/wow JEROME JOSEPH SMIIDDY, OE HONOLULU, TERRITORY OF HAWAII.

TOOTH-BRUSH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23,1912.

Application filed August 13, 1910. Serial No. 576,948.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that I, JEROME J. SMIDDY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Honolulu, in the county of Honolulu and Terrltory of Hawaii, have invented new and useful Improvements-in Tooth-Brushes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tooth brushes and the object of the invention is the provision of a brush adapted for this purpose having means to feed a quantity of a suitable cleansing compound to the bristles.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a brush of this character wherein the feeding of the cleansing compound may be instantly stopped so as to prevent excessive amounts of the cleansing compound being fed to the bristles.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a novel tooth brush having a cylinder-like handle and a plunger working therein which forces a quantity of cleaning compound to the bristles through achannel formed in the brush handle and when released forms a vacuum in the cylinder which acts instantaneously to cut ofl the feed of the cleaningcompound.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the following specific description is read in connection with the accompanymg drawing which forms a part of this ap phcation, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view. Fig;-2 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a similar section showing the plunger loperated against the tension of the spring for expelling the dentifrice.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 represents the head of the brush which has mounted therein the usual bristles 2 and 3 the connecting neck which joins the head with the handle 4. In this instance the handle 4 is hollowed out to form a piston cylinder 5 in which is mounted apiston 6 having a piston rod 7 connected thereto and extending through a bushed closing cap 8 which-is screwed into the end of the cylinder and forms a guide for the piston rod 7. The piston rod 7 is normally forced toward the head of the I brush by a light spiralspring 9 so that the operating button 10 is normally held in engagement with the outer side of the closing cap 8.

The cylinder 5 is supplied with a suitable quantity of any preferred cleansing compound which is fed to the bristles through a longitudinal channel 11 whose entrance into the chamber 5 is arranged at the rear end of the handle. The channel extends parallel with the cylinder 5 through the handle and from thence through the neck to the head 1 where it communicates with transverse grooves or channels 12 leading to the bristles 2. k

In the operation of the device, the piston rod-7 is withdrawn through the guiding cap 8 bringing the piston head 6 toward. the same and thereby compressing the cleansing compound within the cylinder 5 and expelling a portion of it through the channels 11 and 12 to the bristles. Immediately upon release of the piston rod 7 the piston 6' is projected toward the head of the brush and a substantial vacuum is formed in the chamber which instantaneously cuts oi the flow or feed of the compound.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is A tooth brush comprising a handle having a longitudinal passage therein and a channel communicating .with the rear end of said passage and extending forwardly to the brush head thereof, said brush head being provided with bristles and with openingslocated adjacent said bristles and com- 

